My Desultory Blog

Posted By RichC on August 19, 2017

Although the news of late on the political front has been challenging (Trump Admin, Barcelona, Charlottesville, North Korea) the savvy investor/trader can use these moments to put the "risk capital" part of their portfolio to good use. Most who trade have plenty of horror stories where their trades have gone terribly wrong, but usually the good trades keep them attentive to logical decision-making and winning trades.

Last week I was in and out of Ford ($F) since I’ve been focusing on dividend stocks in recent years. The company have been beaten up for good reason, but the brand is strong and the future in a growing economy should be strong enough to keep above average dividends flowing. The question lives on is whether they can keep enough investors holding their declining stock? Personally I don’t mind holding a stock that has been beaten up so as long as the economy is strong and the company earning can pay the dividend … so picking up shares to hold, or to sell for a quick profit, makes for a logical trade.

Friday morning I added back the shares (at $10.50 this time) that I sold on Monday and will likely sell the extra shares again if $F quickly rebounds to $11 or beyond next week (I’m still holding long-term invested shares at a dollar-cost-average under $11 and expecting a better future for Ford … or waiting for something like the below).

Category: Automotive, Financial | No Comments »
Tags: dividends, finance, ford, investing, Politics, stock, trading, wall street

Posted By RichC on August 18, 2017

Archiving the New York Times article that offers an explanation for those who are still wondering what Volkswagen DieselGate was all about.

The software sensed when the car was being tested and then activated equipment that reduced emissions, United States officials said. But the software turned the equipment down during regular driving, increasing emissions far above legal limits, most likely to save fuel or to improve the car’s torque and acceleration.

The software was modified to adjust components such as catalytic converters or valves used to recycle some of the exhaust gasses. The components are meant to reduce emissions of nitrogen oxide, a pollutant that can cause emphysema, bronchitis and other respiratory diseases.

READ FULL ARTICLE

Which Cars Were Affected?

Category: Archive, Automotive, Diesel, Volkswagen | No Comments »
Tags: archive, dieselgate, graphics, tdi nytimes, volkswagen

Posted By RichC on August 17, 2017

Earlier this week, I had a Throwback Thursday moment when reading my Twitter feed. A reporter commented on @PortageNotebook and the logo/icon was a dead giveaway for the spin-off company where I once worked. The Akron, Ohio based Portage Newspaper Supply was the purchasing arm for Knight Ridder Newspapers and I was part of the sales team. One of their proprietary products was a ubiquitous "Reporter’s Notebook." When I left in 1986 to start Consolidated Printing and Publishing Co, the now independent company must have sold the rights to some of their products to others.

After a private conversation with the now Bedford, Ohio (Cleveland) PortageNotebooks company, I learned that they purchased the business from a company in Connecticut. Small world, but the pen and paper "reporter notebook" seems to be making a rebound!

Category: Memories, Social Media, TBT | No Comments »
Tags: akron, jobs, knight ridder, newspaper, ohio, portage, sales, supply, TBT, work

Posted By RichC on August 16, 2017

Another photo (above) from my an envelope containing a few of my dad’s trips before meeting my mom … interesting to think about the history of stock car racing in Daytona Beach Florida. Back in the early 1950s the beach and A-1-A were used at the straightaways and a grandstand at the corner. What I time it must have been?

The course started at the North Turn and went south two miles on A1A (parallel to the ocean) to the end of the road, where the drivers accessed the beach at the South Turn, went two miles north on the hard-packed beach surface, and turned away from the beach at the North Turn.

Official racing on the beach started in 1936 as the growth of Daytona Beach as a racing hub saw the birth and boom of NASCAR as stock cars raced on the beach until 1958, when NASCAR relocated to the world-class Daytona International Speedway. While racing has moved inland, the location serves as an important landmark as the impact and legacy of those who participated in the beach racing on the Daytona sands carry on to the drivers and fans of today.

North Turn Link

Category: Automotive, History, Photos | 1 Comment »
Tags: dadc, daytona beach, daytona500, florida, History, nascar, Photos, racing

Posted By RichC on August 15, 2017

A couple of days ago I mentioned the passing of my father two short years ago. A day later my brother reminded me that it had been two years and sense it surprised him too. The thought of my dad had me move a pile of papers I’ve had in my office; we cleared them out of his house and just now noticed a couple misplaced / miscellaneous photos that DadC took prior to meeting my mom. Some of the photos were from his time in the U.S. Army which included the poem at the bottom of this post …  in my dad’s handwriting during the time he was at Camp Breckinridge KY … part of his basic training before being deployed to the front in Korea (the current conversation we’re having in the U.S. is one I’m glad my dad does not have to revisit).

The Korean War did not bring back "warm and fuzzy" memories for my dad and although he rare ever talked about the war, he really did enjoy the "Honor Trip" to Washington DC and the Korean War Memorial with other aging vets. Obviously each had better insight to what war must have been like?

Shelby County Ohio Vets at the Korean War Memorial in May of 2010

Interesting to me was reading my dad’s handwriting and a poem back in 1950 as a young man … preparing to answer the nation’s calling. (thank you dad … and the many others who served) Obviously boot camp was not just another summer camp.

Tomorrow I’ll post a couple additional photos from the pile … a trip he took to Florida with a few buddies. The old racetrack at Daytona Beach made me realized just how much things have changed!

Category: Archive, History, Human Interest, Memories, Millitary, Personal, Photos | 4 Comments »
Tags: bootcamp, camp breckinridge, dadc, korea, korean war, poem, veterans

Posted By RichC on August 14, 2017

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Category: Faith, Music, News | No Comments »
Tags: bruce hornsby, charlottesville, christiation, groupbiblestudy, mp3, musicmonday, piano, racism, the way it is, virginia

Posted By RichC on August 13, 2017

What a beautiful weekend in Cincinnati “for August.” Warm days, reasonable humidity and cool evenings. What’s not to like?

Category: Misc, Personal, Photos | No Comments »
Tags: back porch, evening, fireplace, panorama, relaxing, summer

Posted By RichC on August 13, 2017

The older I get the more often I stumble on items to include in my book, "Things To Buy When You Are Young" … or at least one that I’m slowly putting together and working on.

I’ve fumbled with woodworking most of my life and to be fair, have purchased or been giving my share of nice tools. Included in my arsenal of items are two routers, one mounted in a router table like a shaper and the other used in a traditional matter. I’ve had a mixture of odds and ends cheap bits and a few better bits to use with them over the years, but seem to never have the one I want.

Last weekend I was working on a small project, re-cutting a doorway threshold with my son-in-law Drew … and boasted to him about how much I liked my "spiral bit."  After we were finished and he was gone, I cleaned up and put away my tools. I realized I had a hodgepodge of bits and many were not carbide and NOT sharp anymore. I also realized I didn’t always have the bit I wanted and would make-do by making a template, jig or just clamping down feather-boards and a fence.

A day later, a social networking ad appeared in my Twitter feed for a 50 piece carbide 1/2" bit set … it was inexpensive (as likely is the quality) and so I made the impulse buy. Nice … but I’ll need someone to tell me to use the new "good one" rather than pulling my old bits out of their Tupperware! (I have a tendency to use an old tool, bit, etc and keep the new, good one shiny and new)

Category: Advice, Shopping, Tools, Woodworking | No Comments »
Tags: bits, carbide, ebay, router, tools, woodworking

Posted By RichC on August 12, 2017

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Category: Archive, Misc, Personal, Photos | No Comments »
Tags: annalyn, babysitting, birthday, brenda, family, momh, turtle, wife

Posted By RichC on August 11, 2017

Tomorrow will be two years since my dad passed away, where does the time go? 

His interest in cars was handed down to me and although we both approached it from different angles, we BOTH held a respect for how each enjoyed automobiles. I did not have had the same "spit and polish" love for "clean and shiny" like my dad, but enjoyed the mechanical side of keeping a car "running." Give me a can of Bondo, a body file and spray gun … and I am reasonably satisfied. Weld some new metal, rust treat and paint will Miracle paint … it passed my critique.
 
Dad on the other hand was happier with a bucket of suds, some whitewall tire cleaner, a few coats of wax and regular buffing cleaning his Packard or any of his cars … but we both enjoyed our cars. As I’ve said to Brenda many time, I really don’t have any regrets during our final years together. Dad and I had a great relationship right to the end … he was proud of me and I of him.

I came across the photo above from Easter in 1966 standing on the wall in front of our house on the lake. I can not imagine a more idyllic place to grow up … both my mom and dad gave me a perfect childhood. I will forever be appreciative for those early years. (while archiving the old photo, I’ll include one with my mom below)

Mom, Dad, Ron, Rich in Toledo (my Aunt’s house) and at our house on the lake.

Category: Archive, Automotive, Memories, Personal, Photos | 2 Comments »
Tags: 1966, brother, dadc, easter, father, lagoon, lake erie, richc, ronc